1ERA MUESTRA INTERNACIONAL DE ARTE CORREO Y POESIA VISUAL DE PUERTO RICOThis Blog will be for documentation and Catalog for the 1rst International Poetry Visual and Mail Art Exhibition of Puerto Rico 2010. Under the theme: STOP CHILD ABUSE NOW

ConditionsAll artworks will be exhibited and no returns.Will be archived in the Collection of Caribbean Center of Art Mail and Visual Poetry

Send Edwin Velázquez / Coordinator

Caribeean Center of Mail Art and Visual Poetry

P.O.Box 8252

San Juan Puerto Rico 00910

ON THE ABUSE OF CHILDREN

Incidence

The abuse of children is a serious public health problem. In Puerto Rico in 2008, the Department of the Family reported 16023 active cases of abuse, with a total of 38149 children affected. The most common type of abuse is the negligence (51 %), then the multiple abuse (18 per cent), physical (13 %) and emotional (12 %). No surprise that the sexual abuse is only 6 % of active cases, due to many children take to reveal incidents of abuse, for various reasons. From the years 2002 and 2003, statistics reflect a gradual reduction in the total active cases and in all types of abuse, except the abuse sexual, which showed a slight increase.

Deaths

Estimated annually, abuse is responsible of thousands of deaths of infants and children in the world. According to the Organization Global health in the year 2000 there were a few 57000 global deaths attributed to murders of children under the age of 15. However, studies has shown that deaths from abuse are much more frequent that what indicate official records. On the other hand, infants and children under the age of 4 years are at greater risk of becoming victims of homicides. The first cause of death by physical abuse is trauma to the head, followed by trauma to the abdomen.

Consequences

Abuse is associated with health problems Physical length of life: problems in speech, psychomotor retardation, seizures, Visual and auditory problems, obesity, cardiac infarction chronic lung problems and cancer. Also associated with problems of behavior and mental health: aggressiveness, attention deficit problems learning and behaviour of high risk as the use of cigarettes, alcohol or drugs, promiscuity, suicidal ideation, and juvenile delinquency. If not stopped, the cycle of abuse continues through the generations.

Risk factors

Abuse occurs in families of all socio-economic levels. Is most commonly reported in families of few resources because they attend public services, and can be exposed to situations of crisis more frequently. Most parents not they are mentally ill or have criminal history.

There are risk factors predispose the child and his family live situations of abuse. The preterm infants, unwanted, difficult temper, late psychomotor or impediments are at greater risk of abuse. Mothers teenagers, parents with history of abuse in childhood, with problems of alcohol or drugs, or untreated mental illness are at risk of liable to abuse. The risk of abuse increases in families where there is couple, that are dysfunctional violence (live crisis in crisis) and that lack of support networks.

There are also precipitating, events that occur immediately before the incident of abuse, such as: crying persistent, accidents in using the bathroom or toilet training, learning or situation causing nuisance. Unlike the sexual abuse and abuse in the medical setting (also known as Münchausen Syndrome by Proxy) (or Münchausen syndrome by power), which are planned, physical abuse usually occurs when the adult suddenly loses control.

On the other hand, there are factors protect the child and his family. In children's intelligence and the prosociales skills are important factors. Hand parents, the risk of abuse decreases when possess adequate parenting skills and discipline and/or they have a strong support network.

Snippet of text in the text the role of the "El" "role of the doctor suspected abuse of a child" published in Galenus Magazine for Puerto Rico medical in http://www.galenusrevista.com/El-rol-del-medico-cuando-seBrenda Mirabal MD, MPH, FAAP specialist paediatric, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, school of medicine, RCM, UPR.Directora programme Biosicosocial RCM for abused children. Rights reserved the author.